During the summer of 1887, workers made fast progress on constructing the Union railroad depot at the intersection of Congress and St. John Streets. By August 29, they had completed the foundation and built a quarter of the walls.

This photograph comes from an album owned by William S. Edwards, a Portland civil engineer who assisted City Engineer William A. Goodwin. That year, Goodwin reported that engineers designed a bridge to carry Congress Street over St. John Street and the MCRR railroad tracks. The caption below the image reads, "Depot M.C.R.R. - Congress St. Aug. 9, 1887."